Universalism

Universalism is one of the most prominent sets of beliefs on Kepler 77c, and is a non theistic doctrine based around the concept of the universal forces. It is not exactly a single organised religion, but rather an innumerable myriad of disparate individual schools of thought, from which followers gather and share their accumulated knowledge, debate philosophical principles, or scientific theory. This doesn't mean its members are all scientists, far from it, but it certainly encourages inquisition, debate, and questioning of both the human world and the natural world at a fundamental level for all its followers.
As a whole, universalism lacks any overreaching doctrinal authority; however its many divergent sects do posses varying forms of either hierarchy or organisation. Most common throughout the various sects is an individual known as a "High Seeker". They are usually wise, old and well respected individuals who take a position of more-or-less a "first among equals", and whom have heavy influence over their peers.

History

The origins of Universalism are as shrouded in myth and hearsay as much as the times before the Great Understanding as a whole. While many insist that Universalism has always been embedded in the human psyche, no matter what dogma or religion they once followed, it is quite likely that it emerged from a collapse of organised religion after the arrival of humans on the planet. In the years of ecological collapse, organised religion likely collapsed into a myriad of cults and other disparate beliefs, among these being a nascent form of universalism.

Tenets of Faith

In Universalism, followers are guided by the "universal forces." Rather than worshipping any kind of god or theistic entity, Universalists believe in a cosmic "balance." The universal forces and the balance are both intrinsically linked, and to Universalists the various natural laws of the universe, in their incalculable infinity, lead to quantifiable results that affect everything from how a child is born to the amount of rain two days from now. The balance is the result of these universal forces interacting, such as gravity, light, etc, and leads to these wide reaching effects. Thus, Universalists seek to further fuel the "balance" through the pursuit of knowledge. They believe that ignorance leads to disorder, and upsets the balance and its influences on humanity. Universalist doctrine, as a result, is based on the prospects of bettering one's understanding of themselves and the world as best as they can. Through lively debate, inquisition, and questioning, Universalists hope to prevent humanity falling to ignorance at any cost. They believe that through the accumulation of wisdom, knowledge, and experience, a person's individual balance can be strengthened, and their lives will be better as a result.

Ethics

Universalism as a whole is quite egalitarian in nature. A core belief present across almost all sects is that of every individual being equally worthy of respect, dignity, and authority. Perhaps having emerged from a need to utilise the full potential of every member of the community during the years of severe depopulation and strife, universalism is ardently opposed to social stratification based on superficial qualities. In doctrinal practice, this is attributed to the cosmic forces that flow through the universe being "blind to human concepts and ultimately impartial". Thus, to demean one group over another would be considered the equivalent of heresy, since that would be an affront to the pursuit of understanding the universal forces. However, it must be noted that the idea of "heresy" for universalism is quite different from what one might expect from a typical organised religion. "heresy" in universalism is simply actions that ultimately hurt the community's pursuit of knowledge, and is thus heavily discouraged-- not due to dogmatic beliefs, but rather pragmatic utilitarian goals.

Sects

While the schools of Universalist thought are as diverse in their teachings as they are in location and composition, many fall under similar schools of thought and can be reasonably grouped into different sects.
1. The Elementalists are spread mostly across Remora, Seripha, Meroskva and some regions of Kannosta. The Elementalists believe that the very fundamental particles of the universe, for instance atoms, are the main universal forces rather than abstract forces as described in traditional teaching. Their unique practices include "obfuscation" or spending a debate session completely blind under a blindfold, and in some extreme groups even brief exposure to radiation as a rite of passage.
2. The Uncertainists, who ascribe the universal forces to the impossible uncertainty of the universe and that the unknowable intricacies of universal forces simply cannot be understood. This is a very minority group and not prevalent
3. The Currentists, who are prevalent across most of Lavenna (especially in the south and heartlands). They believe that the myriad incalculable forces of the universe coalesce in currents, or paths. These paths can be pursued by individuals, and becoming an experienced explorer into a certain path is a core pursuit of its members. For instance, focusing on quantum mechanics as a path and delving into its mysteries would elevate ones understanding of the cosmic forces far more than simply pursuing knowledge in general. Currentists are deeply passionate about their careers, and this has led many to the impression that it is a work-cult, but this is not the case.

Founding Date

Unknown (likely during the post-collapse dark ages)

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

The Curious Ones

Demonym

Universalist